As college sports become more and more a part of our everyday lives, the process by which the athletes we love to watch becomes more and more extravagant. The media blitz elevates players to a level that is above “average” high school seniors. When the country’s brightest minds decide on if they should go to Stanford or Harvard, there is no press announcement about it. So why should there be for these athletes? This issue divides sports fans across the nation. The ridiculousness of the process is a double edged sword.
On the one hand, it can be a very good thing for the sport, the athlete, and the college. For the sport, all the media coverage and hype revolving around recruits can attract people who may not have watched the sport much before. You might not watch much football, but if your next-door neighbor was going to Alabama on a full ride to play football, you’re most likely going to try to catch a game or two, maybe brag to your buddies that you know that kid when you see him on ESPN. For the athlete, this could be their one chance to be in the spotlight. According to ncaa.org, only about 1.2 percent of all NCAA Men’s Basketball student/athletes will go on to play professionally. That is 1.2 percent of 17,500 student/athletes, or 210 of them. For over 17,000 athletes, less than that when you think about the fact that only 100 basketball recruits a year get major national publicity, will never see the spotlight shine so bright again.
On the other hand, however, treating these prized recruits like celebrities fosters an egotistical spirit. It would be hard for any high school athlete to not let the fame go to their head. The transition from high school to college is already a culture shock that can only be amplified by being a highly touted prospect that the entire program’s future is riding on. Dorial Green-Beckham, the 6-6 220 lbs receiver from Hillsboro, Mo. is already being dubbed as the greatest receiver since Randy Moss. By picking Missouri over the list of powerhouses that offered him a full scholarship, Beckham increased his stardom in the state of Missouri because he is the home-state boy that is leading the Tigers into the SEC, the toughest football conference in the NCAA. Beckham, along with many other athletes, announced his decision on ESPNU in front of the entire world (at least, the entire world that subscribes to ESPNU), another example of high school students reaching insane stardom. Ryan Rosburg, senior, experienced this insanity during his recruiting process. Rosburg, who received a great deal of local publicity on outlets such as News Channel 5, said it was fun at first, but it got annoying after a while.
Now, the recruiting process in general is such an intricate web of rules and regulations that is impossible to discuss the entire thing in one story. However, it is clear that the media and stardom that comes with being a prized recruit is getting to a point where it needs to be controlled. Yes, the attention can be good for kids who may never see the spotlight again, but stardom skews the athlete’s perception of reality and they could be in for a big surprise when it ends.
